Sanitary metal can



A. MOORE SANITARY METAL CAN Filed Avril v15, 1922 HIIIIH l INVEN TOR A TTORNEY Patented Got. ll, i927.

UNITE@ STATE.

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ARLINGTON MOORE, F NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO MOOR-E INVENTONS CORPORA TION, OF WORCESTER, IiIASSACHSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

SANITARY METAL CAN.

Application filed April 15, 1922. Serial No. 553,212.

My invention relates to sanitary metal containers and more particularly to metal cans adapt-ed for containing food products and the like.

o Broadly stated, it is the object of the presA ent invention to provide a sanitary metal container which is capable of withstanding great pressure without distortion or leaks, and which may be made in large quantities io at high speed and with increased economy.

Peretofore it has been the practice to construct so-called sanitary tin cans by employing gaskets or the equivalent, between the portion of the can forming the wall, and

the portions forming the top and bottom respectively. Such gaskets have been maintained in position between adjacent portions of the metal parts of the container, it being intended that they should prevent access of 2U air and undesired escape of liquid contents of the container. lt has been found, however, that, with seam constructions as heretofore used, the leakage frequently takes place notwithstanding the provision of gaskets, linings or the like within the can seams.

According to one feature of the invention, a metal container is provided in which such gaskets, linings and the like are eliminated and the metal parts of the container itself 3o are arranged and constructed in a novel manner to eifectually prevent leakage. Another feature relates to the provision of a metal container in which the component metal parts are secured together in a highly improved' manner, whereby increased strength is imparted to the can.

Another object relates to the provision of a. metal container in which the various parts are brought into intimate contact by being subjected to extremely high pressure, Whereby a union of the parts is effected amount- "ig substantially to a welding together and tiowing of the metal under the high pressure.

@ther objects will appear from the following description taken in connecnon with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a metal container with parts broken away, embodying features of the invention. Figs. 2 to 7 show successive steps in the formation of the con-- tainer. Fig. 8 is a partial plan view of the can body, and Fig. 9 a section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularlyto Fig. 1, there is shown one embodiment of my invention comprising a can body 10 which may be formed in any desired shape, having its ends substantially perpendicular to its longitudinal anis. As shown, a can body of cylindrical shape is provided. G0

The can body may be constructed in various ways, but is preferably made as shown herewith. The side seam of the can body is preferably of the lock or double seam forni for Jthe greaterl partof its length, as indi- G5 cated in cross section at 11 in Fig. y9. Near the ends ofthe can body the side seam coinprises the lap seam portion 12, and beyond the lap seam part 12 the edgesof the sheet forming the can body preferably abut together, with little or no overlap, as shown at 13, 13, Fig. 8. The side seam may be soldered as is customary. If desired, an ordinary soldered lap scam may be ysubstituted for the lock seam part 11, and various other side seam constructions may be used.

While the closure herewith described may be used only on the lid end of the can, and the can bottom may be secured in place in any 4desired way, the top and bottom closures for the container are preferably formed in the same manner, and a description of one will suffice for both.

Referring to F ig. 2, the side wall 14e of the 3 can body 10 is provided near its end with ank outwardly extending shoulder 15, the end portion 16 of the can body being outwardly displaced or expanded with respect to the main portion 14 thereof a distance which is preferably substantially equal to the thickness of the can body, as shown in Fig. 2, though such displacement may be more or less than this precise amount. The provision of shoulder 15 makes it possible to support 9* and hold the can firmly during the formation of the heading seam and also serves as a stop for the lid or closure when put in place in the can body.

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The closure member 17 which may form 100 f either the bottom or the top of the comlet-ed can, or both, as above indicated, is provided with a marginal flange 18 which is turned or flanged over so as to lie closely against the expanded portion 16 of the can 105 body as indicated in Fig. 2 when the closure member 17 is inserted ink place resting against th@ shoulder 15 in the can body.

The enlarged end portion 19 of the can body 10 is longer than the flange-18, the relative dimensions being preferably about as indicated in Fig. 2.

' The lirst step in forming the heading seam consists in turning the outer end 19 of the expanded end portion 16 of thel can body, extending beyond the lid flange 18, inwardly over the edge of said flange, first as shown in Fig'. 3 and then as shown in Fig. 4, completing a turning movement of substantially 180".A The normally abutting edges, 18, 13, which temporarily lap past one another somewhat. as the partsare turned over (as shown in Fig. 3), come again into abutting or substantially abutting position when the told is complete-d as shown in Fig. 4.

Next the parts are turned inwardly a second time from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 5. The bend line for this operation preferably comes at substantially the middle of the lid flange 18, as shown in Fig. 5. 1When this is done a seam is formed about the end of the can, which comprises five layers of metal, as shown in Figs. 5, 6

' and 7 with the portion 19 originally forming the extreme outer edge of the can body Y in the center of the five-ply seam.

This marginal seam is subjectedto enormous pressure applied both to the sides and to the end of the seam, bringing the parts first into the relativepositions shown in Fig'. 6 and finally into theA positions shown in Fig. 7 The pressure applied is preferably sufciently great to cause an actual flowing or elongation of the metal, resulting in the flilling out of all open spaces in the seam with the metal 4to produce substantially a thick heavy ring about the. can head, as shown at 20, Fig. 1. In this way the Iparts are forced into such intimate contact that a junction is secured, equivalent in effect to the formation about the can ihead of-a Welded ring of substantial `thickness and great mechanical strength.

The metal parts of ringseam 2O being in intimate contact, leakage is effectually yprevented and-all gaskets orlinings as heretofore required are completely dispensed with.

The lap portion 12 of the side seam beingonly of about the height of thefinished'seam 2O :indicated in Fig. 1, lit will be seen that the ipreferably soldered lap portion 12 is notsubjected tofany bending or folding action, but remains in its original liquid tight and air tight condition.

It will be seen that in forming my improved seam certain portions of the metal making up the seam are turned over through an'arc of as much as 270 toa complete circle of 360o, part- 19 of the can body,'for example, being turned over in the finished position to the extent last named to extend substantially parallel to and in the same direction as in its original position as shown in Fig. 2.

The process of making the improved seam herein described is not claimed herein, but is claimed in my @pending-application Serial No. 553,213, filed on even date herewith.

An illustrative embodiment has been shown for the purpose of showing a way in which the invention may be practiced, but it is expressly understood that the scope ofthe invention is not to be limited thereby, reference being had `to the appended claims for that purpose.

I claim:

1. In a sheet metal can, a can body having a side comprising a principal lockseam portion, a lapseam portion and a portion at the end of the can body where the 4edges of the body material substantially abut against one another, sai-d body being outwardly expanded and having a shoulder :termed therein at about the junction between the lock and lap seam portions, a closure received .in said can-body and resting'againstsaid shoulder, and a heavy thick substantially ring-like seam uniting said body and closure comprising two reversely turned portions of the closure material and three revers-ely turned portions of the can body material with the extreme edge portions of the can body material centrally located in said seam, and said seam being compressed under high pressure applied both laterally and longitudinally to bring the parts thereof into intimate contact and provide a strong andtight seal without gaskets, linings or the like.

2.v A can according to claim 1 in which the lap part of the side seam stops just short of the end of .the completed can, whereby the lap part of the can body is not-turned over in seaming the closure to the body.

Intestirnony whereof, I have vsigned `my name hereto. 

